It's one of the most illustrious groups in entertainment. Highly selective, only 26 SNL hosts have gained admittance to the show's legendary 5-Timers Club in its 50-year history. But what about those who haven't been able to find their way into Saturday Night Live's most exclusive fraternity? Just because they haven't hosted five times doesn't mean they're not among the best, does it?

Bill Swerski is back with another all-star panel to look back at 50 years of SNL hosts and pick the very best who – for whatever reason – have not been able to crack that elusive 5th hosting gig. Together they'll discuss and debate the merits of some of the finest hosts to take the stage at 8H as they look to pick the Best Non-5 Timer Host.

They can't all be Hanks or Martin or Baldwin or Henry. Or…Hill? But they're good enough, they're smart enough, and doggone it – people like them. Join us as we try to pick the best of the best who never quite made it to comedy's most exclusive club.

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This week we have a VINTAGE episode of The Early Years of SNL, looking back at one of the most pivotal moments in the show's original era - Season 2, Episode 11.

Ralph Nader takes the hosting reins while George Benson provides the musical entertainment, and the legendary Andy Kaufman appears as special guest. But the real headline? Nearly three months after Chevy Chase's departure, viewers finally meet the newest Not Ready for Prime Time Player - Bill Murray.

Doug Hill & Jeff Weingrad, co-authors of Saturday Night: The Backstage History of Saturday Night Live, help us not only break down this landmark moment in television history but also share stories from their book - THE definitive account of the original era of SNL.

This episode was originally released on December 12, 2023.

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Are you ready for the summer?

We kick off our off-season coverage with a look back at Meatballs, the scrappy Canadian comedy that surprisingly became one of 1979's biggest successes. Released just a month after SNL's fourth season wrapped, this summer camp romp marked Bill Murray's first starring role and set the stage for what would become one of cinema's most beloved comedy careers.

From the muddy fields of Camp North Star to the heights of Hollywood success, we celebrate this little film about summer camp misfits that helped launch what is quite arguably the greatest film career of any Saturday Night Live alumnus. Join us as we explore how director Ivan Reitman set out to create "his own Animal House" as we discuss the behind-the-scenes antics that defined this production including the last-minute casting of its star, shooting at an operating summer camp, and the reshoots that completely shifted the film's focus.

Because in the end, it really just doesn't matter how a classic gets made. It just doesn't matter.

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And just like that, another season of SNL is in the books. What a journey Season Four has been—filled with soaring highs and crushing lows that has gone on to help define an era of television comedy. While it was the most popular season of Saturday Night Live to date, it's also tinged with melancholy, foreshadowing the end of a golden age and some massive changes that would reshape the show when it returned for Season Five.

In this season wrap-up episode, Brad and Gary discuss everything that made Season Four so memorable and significant. They reflect on the lessons learned, remember what they loved most, and confess what surprised them from this iconic outing. They also shine a light on their favorite episodes, hosts, and musical guests, as well as compile their lists of “Best Bits” for the season.

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Another season of The Early Years of SNL comes to a close, which can only mean one thing… Buck is Back! Buck Henry returns for his 8th time hosting and this time he gets a proper season finale musical guest with the one and only Bette Midler.

Saturday Night Live brings its highest-rated season yet to a close and while things are mostly upbeat, there is still a sense that this is somewhat of a goodbye. In what will end up being the final episode for Dan Aykroyd (unknowingly) and John Belushi (pretty evident) as cast members we see the final appearance of The Samurai, The Olympia Café closes its doors, and Richard Nixon makes one last appearance in the original era. On a brighter note, we get one of the most well-known cold opens of the era courtesy of Mr. Bill and an appearance by master impressionist Michael O’Donoghue!

We're once again joined by Jon Schneider of The Saturday Night Network to reminisce about the joys of Buck hosting, argue about Garrett giving his best performance of all time, lament the final episode of two of the show’s original stars, and teach Brad a thing or two about... well, nothing to do with SNL whatsoever. It's a hell of a way to go out!

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On the surface, veteran stage and screen actress Maureen Stapleton may seem like an odd choice to host Saturday Night Live. After watching this episode, that assessment might hold true.

Season 4's penultimate episode stands as one of the more peculiar outings from SNL's original era. The accomplished host finds herself surprisingly underutilized, appearing in only a couple of sketches that truly showcase her talents. The show meanders through a mix of recurring characters and familiar formats—some expected, others quite surprising. And while the musical guests – Linda Ronstadt & Phoebe Snow – look good on paper, their performances just don’t seem to click.

The entire episode feels oddly restrained, as if everyone involved was operating at half-speed. Was this the inevitable result of Season 4's notoriously grueling production schedule finally catching up with the cast and crew? Or were they simply coasting, saving their energy for the following week's season finale host?

We try to answer these questions and more, though first one of us had to figure out exactly who Maureen Stapleton was—and perhaps more importantly, who she wasn't.

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Over SNL's legendary 50-year run, only a select few bits have managed to stand the test of time. One that has… the commercial parody. From fake products that feel disturbingly real to outrageous pitches that somehow make perfect sense, these sketches have become a staple of the show since day one.

For this edition of Tournament Talk, Bill Swerkski assembles an expert panel to dive deep into Saturday Night Live's comedy vault and debate the greatest commercial parodies of all time. With five decades of material to choose from, the competition is fierce—and the arguments even fiercer.

Which beloved classics will advance to the finals? And which controversial choices will spark the most heated debates among our panel? Which forgotten gems deserve recognition?

We laugh, we argue, we passionately defend our picks as we battle through bracket-style eliminations to crown the ultimate SNL commercial parody champion. Join us for a nostalgic journey through comedy history, where the debates about what didn't make the cut might be just as entertaining as what did.

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Blink and you might miss it, but Michael Palin returns to SNL for the third time. He is joined by James Taylor, making his second appearance as musical guest.

This episode serves up a mixed bag – a couple of VERY long sketches combined with three songs from JT results in one of the fewest comedy bits of any Saturday Night Live episode. Add to that the Monty Python veteran's surprisingly sparse on-camera presence, and you've got an outing that leaves something to be desired.

But fear not! Empire Magazine editor and author of Wild & Crazy Guys, Nick de Semlyen joins us from merry old England to dive deep into Palin's comedic legacy, question James Taylor's musical choices, and speak with an accent that generally makes him sound smarter than both our hosts combined.

Along the way, we somehow manage to shoehorn in references to Gary Busey, Steven Seagal, and contemplate the merits behind the plot of Diff'rent Strokes.

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